GAMBIER — The village lost thousands of gallons of water Sunday and Monday after one of its plastic water pipes exploded early Sunday morning, leaving a number of residents without water. A boil advisory that went into effect after the break is expected to be lifted around noon today.
Speaking at a Village Council meeting Monday night, Village Administrator Suzanne Hopkins said the break drained the village water tower as well as several water lines in town. The amount of water lost, combined with the amount of water it took to refill the tower and the lines, was about 1,860,000 gallons; about 400,000 gallons of that was water lost.
Mayor Kirk Emmert suggested the village’s utility committee consider two possibilities that could help avoid such a break in the future — replacing the entire line, and taking steps to reduce water pressure in areas of the village, such as the area near the community center. He said the last large break took place on Wiggin Street a few years ago, although there have been smaller breaks in a number of areas of the village that inconvenience a small handful of villagers.
Dave McConnell, chief business officer at Kenyon College, asked whether the village had ever considered a backup water supply for use when such a break occurs, adding that a number of college students don’t have access to stoves to boil water. He suggested that council consider such a plan, if it had not been considered before.
Hopkins said she doesn’t know of any other community that has stockpiles of water for residents.
Council adopted an ordinance approving a 5 percent increase in wages for the village staff. In proposing the amount, Emmert said about 2 1/2 to 3 percent would offset inflation, 1 percent was due to increased medical costs, and 1 percent would be the wage increase.
Councilwoman Susan Sukys said she thought 5 percent was too high and not in keeping with similar wage increases implemented by other employers in the area. She said she believes it’s important to take great care with how taxpayer money is spent, adding that council members, as the ones who handle the business side of village affairs, should consider whether they would implement such an increase to employees if they were the owner of a business and using their own funds.
Councilwoman Audra Cubie said the village should be a little generous to attract better employees, and that such a practice has been effective.
Emmert called 5 percent a generous increase and said that having an able and knowledgeable staff is a tremendous benefit to the village.
Sukys made an unsuccessful motion to change the wage increase to 4 percent, before a majority of council members voted in favor of the 5 percent increase.
In other business:
•Emmert reported that the village will plant a tree in front of the post office near the location of the tree that was removed. The Arbor Day planting ceremoney will be run by Jerry Kelly, chairmain of the Gambier Tree Commission. On April 18, Middle Path Day, two more trees will be planted on Gaskin Avenue in front of Farr Hall and the Village Market. In each case, the unpaved space around the trees will be enlarged from that of the present trees. He said the village has been named a Tree City USA community by the Arbor Day Foundation for its commitment to forestry.
•Emmert reported that members of the administration met with Knox County Sheriff David Barber on March 31 to discuss the renewal of the village’s three-year contract with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. The contract does not differ from the present contract. The contract will be signed later this week, after Village Solicitor Ken Lane approves it.
•Hopkins reported that letters were sent in early March to Kenyon College and a few residents, notifying them that backflow devices must be installed. She said the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is requiring the devices, which help prevent the possible contamination of the village water supply, be installed this year.
•Hopkins reported that Asplundh, a tree-trimming company, removed two dead trees from Chase Avenue area on Monday. It will take down two other badly damaged trees in the near future, as well as a number of large, dead branches from trees.
•Hopkins said Chester Lane will officially become a one-way street next week. Although most people are aware of the change, she said, deputies will initially issue warnings to those who go the wrong way.
•Council gave a second reading to an ordinance to rezone a portion of a village block in the area of Ackland Street from a residential to mixed use zoning classification.
•Council had a moment of silence for Lew Treleaven, a World War II veteran who fought in the Battle of Guadalcanal in the Pacific theater, who passed away recently. Treleavin was a member of Gambier Village Council for 16 years.
•Council approved April 26 as Spring Dumpster Day.
•Council approved $11,000 to haul 350,000 gallons of sludge away and be applied on local fields; $3,200 to Wiford Rental for a paint striper; and $6,600 to Barefoot & Case for replacement of a pump used at the village’s sewer treatment plant.
